Roof Runners, Balcony Banter and Troops on the Streets:- Life adjusts to Lockdown!,

What a month March 2020 has been! This post is being written in some haste, but it needs the date-stamp! Left until tomorrow it could be taken for an  April Fool spoof!
The Canaries - as with all of Spain - is in its third week of restrictions, which as expected have therefore lasted longer than was first announced, with some extra bits being added yesterday, but not affecting the average retired couple much over and above those we are getting used to!
In fact the islands remain the safest region, and Fuerteventura the safest of the "big four"! Today nine new cases were designated cured, and the total of active cases came down to 23.

As described earlier the Spanish regime for the public during "lockdown" has throughout been beset by lack of clarity about leaving home. It is clear that just going out for some exercise - even on a solitary basis - is not permitted, so within Greyrocks' circle when someone needs a bit of exercise they go to one of the supermarkets ostentatiously carrying the shopping bag and - for the return leg - holding tightly to the till receipt! If the couple wants to go together it is a matter of walking separately and ignoring each other at the store until safely and separately through the checkout! Conduct is subject to patrols by three bodies:- Local Police, the Guardia Civil and now handsome young soldiers who travel round town in Humvees or Jeeps, and operate a road block near the old bus station. Neither of us has yet been caught, but it is not a relaxing activity!

Socialising itself is a minefield! Two weeks ago we had a commitment to taking our neighbours (the nice ones!) out for a flash meal to thank them for extensive help during our summer absence. Unfortunately the decree had been issued, so Ruth cooked a "Seventies" style meal at home and they walked the ten paces from their front door to ours to pass the evening. Was this legal? We hope so as we now have a regular weekly programme alternating the venue and the cooking!

Frustration with the rules has led to an outburst of another activity in the "grey zone". From our second storey balcony we have been seeing an increasing number of people using roof terraces to which they have access for running (or even skateboarding), and also - clearly legally - on their own balconies  skipping and hanging from the pergola.

The latest development is the evening applause from the balcony for health staff, On the Peninsula it takes place at 8 pm every night, so here we do it at 7 pm - Canarian time. Given that Spain has the highest proportion of its national virus cases being health professionals it seems the least one can do!